As a native Texan, I'm not really too excited about Texas Governor, Rick Perry, entering the Presidential race.  He's a stereotypically mixed-bag politician who claims to support individual rights and capitalism, yet believes the government can and should create jobs and control women's lives.  Ugh!

If there's anything to like Rick Perry for, it's his mostly friendly approach to immigration.  As this Huffington Post article points out:

Texas remains welcoming to immigrants in ways some other states are not.

Illegal immigrants can get in-state tuition at Texas universities. Neither employers nor state agencies are required to run job applicants through a federal database to determine their legal status. Illegal immigrants have access to services for drug treatment, mental health and children with special health care needs.

Perry insists that he has taken a strong stand on securing the border, but his rhetoric has always focused on transnational gangs and drug traffickers, not those looking for legitimate work. He points out that since 2005 the state has steered more than $400 million into border measures.

Perry is on to something here.  Criminals should be those who violate the rights of others, and the proper function of government is to go after those who violate individual rights.  Government should not be concerned with peaceful people looking for work.

Granted, I think the government should also end the drug war which would take care of most, if not all, of the border violence, but that's yet another of many areas where Perry and I disagree. 

Bachmann and Romney are certainly no friend to or supporter of individual rights, but I'm not sure Perry is all that concerned with them either.  At least he's alright on immigration.